A Possibility
by The Dreamer1
Summary: My first Tenchi fic. Tenchi and Ryoko ponder.


A Possibility  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Tenchi universes or characters.  
  
AN: The hopeless romantic strikes again. This takes place in the future, after the series. First   
time writing a Tenchi fic, so be gentle.   
  
'_' denotes character thought.   
  
******  
  
Ryoko preferred the night. Better to hide in, sneak around in, dream in. Yes, much better for   
dreaming. So, when she could, Ryoko spent her nights on the roof dreaming. Dreaming of   
space, of pirating, of one black haired boy who had wormed his way into her thoughts and   
stolen her heart…  
  
******  
  
Tenchi lay on his back with his arms crossed behind his head, staring at the ceiling. He loved   
the night, loved the time after everyone else had gone to bed, loved the time for thought it gave   
him. Thought for life, thought for family, thought for a slender, aqua-haired pirate who would   
probably destroy the house fighting for him…  
  
******  
  
It really was surprising, as Ryoko cast her thoughts back to the day she had landed, how   
quickly she had been willing to give it all up for him. She'd had it made, or however much a   
pirate could, what with the bounty hunters and all. And then, even with a functional ship, she   
still hadn't left. It was getting dangerous staying in one place for so long, and still she couldn't   
leave. Even when Nagi could be watching her right now, there was no possible way that Ryoko   
could leave.  
  
******  
  
It was almost like he was trapped in a dream. At least two beautiful women fighting for him at   
all times. But Tenchi knew firsthand how quickly it could turn into a nightmare. The house had   
almost been destroyed on numerous occasions, and no matter how hard he tried to tell them   
that he wasn't interested at the moment, they persisted. It was flattering, really, when you   
thought about it. But as Tenchi reflected, he realized that there hadn't been an uprising in a   
while. In fact, it seemed as if someone had backed off…  
  
******  
  
Ryoko sighed. No, she couldn't leave, even if she had broken off from the fight. She loved him   
too much to do that. Love was a concept she had spent long days AND nights mulling over,   
and she still couldn't figure it out. All she knew was, because Tenchi seemed happiest without   
her around, Ryoko had discontinued her part of the battle. To make him happy, even if it meant   
hurting herself in the process. And God, did it hurt. To think that the princess won…  
  
******  
  
Ryoko! That was it. Ryoko had quit fighting back when Ayeka claimed Tenchi as "hers."   
And, Tenchi was surprised to admit it, but he missed Ryoko's attentions a bit. All right, not a   
bit, a lot.   
  
Tenchi stretched and got out of bed. He walked outside, and looked up at the stars sprinkled   
across the sky. He headed out toward the shrine, before stopping and looking back at the   
house. Shaking his head, Tenchi did a double take. There, sitting on the roof, her face to the   
midnight heavens, was Ryoko.  
  
******  
  
Hearing the door shut, Ryoko turned her head to see who had come out to disturb her   
meditations. And immediately whipped her head back to its former position, for Tenchi was the   
one who had wondered out. And now that she had, for lack of a better term, given up her   
claim, Ryoko couldn't bear to show any feelings for the boy.  
  
******  
  
Tenchi watched the form of the pirate for a long while, before heading back in. He walked   
back to his bedroom sorting through his thoughts on the woman, coming to the conclusion that   
she really had given him up. It did hurt, because now that he was older, he probably could have   
come to a decision. And from this brief encounter, Tenchi was almost sure what decision he   
would have made.  
  
Ayeka was everything anyone could hope for in a woman. She was smart, beautiful, proper,   
well refined, and royalty to boot. And all these things made her intimidating to Tenchi. Ryoko   
was, well, imperfect. She was more real then Ayeka ever could be.  
  
When Tenchi reached his room, he sighed. He had lost her.  
  
But no, somehow, a part of him said no.  
  
'I guess there's always a possibility. Even for this.'  
  
******  
  
Ryoko watched Tenchi for a long time out of the corner of her eye. When he finally went back   
inside, she more aware then ever of the deep ache in her chest. She sighed and leaned back   
against the roof, trying to sort out the wild, incoherent thoughts storming about her head. What   
had she been thinking, ever trying to compete with the princess? Ayeka was everything she   
couldn't be. And never would. She had been right to give up.  
  
And yet, and yet how could she have been, if she loved him? It wasn't as if Tenchi had   
declared his love for Ayeka. Yet.  
  
Ryoko sighed. 'I guess there's always a possibility, even when all seems lost.'  
  
~fini~  
  
******  
  
AN: Well? What do ya think? Love it, hate it, keep to Digimon and Gundam? Tell me. I love   
feedback.  
  
  
  
  



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